I’m taking a Japanese literature class which has entries from about 700AD. We are now reading stories from the Kamakura period and the descriptions of Kyoto in the stories are EXACTLY this! This is totally how I picture Kyoto back in the days of Genji and Heike. So beautiful!
Definitely agree that this is the appropriate vibe for what Kyoto and also temples/shrines in general should be. Unfortunately, the popular sites elsewhere in Kyoto city will never be serene again. That said, a lot of prefectures in Japan have places that share the ambience that you've shown us of Kurama, and are probably even less touristy than what you experienced today. Hopefully people can stretch their journeys beyond the typical places, the country has so much to offer elsewhere too.
True - but then where's the line between promoting these unknown/lesser known places vs. not telling anyone ? Personally I like to have places to myself, to the point that "mainstream" Kyoto really turns me off despite being a history fanatic - but then a lot of these smaller places try to encourage tourism too and want people like John, you and me to spread the word. So I dunno what's best actually.
Kurama Onsen, a place I have memories with. I remember buying ice cream from one of the few vending machines in the station. This was a real memory blast for me John, Thanks for showing!
Hey Nathaniel! I wonder if it’s changed much. I would love to visit here in the autumn 🍂 the have a maple tree tunnel that’s all red in October! Going to the Onsen tomorrow for a scene!
I went to Kurama about 5 years ago and loved it! One of my most vivid memories from that day is the moss at the temple. It pops into my mind all the time when I do some meditation, even now. Glad to see someone else found it beautiful :)
Wow that place is beautiful. That's what oldskool Japan looks like in my eyes. Tnx for this stream, you just added something new to my bucket list for when I'm there in August. 😇✌️
Me and and friend took a trip there while we were in Kyoto during August 2019. The onsen was amazing and the temple was great. Lovely mountainside town. Will go there again someday.
Kurama looks exactly what i love the most about japan, the rural places are the best always, they have that true essence of Japan and its nature. Thank you so much for the video John! 😉
I live vicariously through your videos. I recently had to move from Seattle to no culture middle of nowhere Oklahoma. I think I have seen almost all of your vids and I truly hope you keep them coming! Thank You so much! I think Kyoto looks so much like western Washington it makes me home sick , so beautiful.
Same lol. Went there on a whim not knowing whats there, hiked across the mountain not knowing what to expect either lmao. Would like to do it in a warmer season and on a dryer day though.
Scenic, poetic, picturesque, tranquil. I lived in Japan for a short period and was a fan of onsen, but I never made it to this onsen, although I had been to Kyoto. This video makes me want to revisit Japan someday.
If I remember correctly, Kumara drea is where the very young Minamoto Yoshitsune was sent into exile by Taira Kiyomori after Kiyomori defeated Yoshitsune's father (Minamoto Yoshimoto) in the Heiji Rebellion. Yoshitsune would grow up to become one of the most celebrated generals of the Gempei War, and considered by many to be a tragic figure in Japanese history and literature as well. This was all in the 12th century.
Yes! One of the stories surrounding the mountain is that Sojobo, the Tengu (forest demon) King that was said to live there, taught Yoshitsune all his sword skills!
During my trip last year I took a bunch of those old one-car trains when travelling from Kinosaki-Onsen down to Himeji, very similar wet weather too. Very comfy experience, up until I ended up leaving my passport behind during a transfer and was stuck on an unmanned platform in the middle of rural Japan.
Kurama Dera was the first thing we visited when I went to Japan. Flew in to Haneda, took the shinkansen to Kyoto, It was breathtakingly beautiful. Really, nothing else we visited in Kyoto for 4 days compared after that . Only maybe the Sogenchi Garden, which we went to quite by accident.
We had a trip planned to Kurama during our last day in Kyoto but the kids wanted to checkout the Osaka aquarium so we went there instead. So happy yo made this stream!
Thank you for showing us the countryside of Kyoto awesome John I am definitely going to go here once I come to Japan. Show me something very awesome today thank you I'm putting you on my board on my channel on RU-vid. Keep doing the best job you are doing.
I think John got a bit confused with his ワンマン trains. ワンマン train (or one-man operation train) just means that there is only a train driver and no conductor on board. It doesn't mean you can only have one car. ワンマン trains usually are only one to two cars long though, since you can only get off the train at the very front as the train driver needs to check your ticket, so having a very long ワンマン train would be impractical. The train at 5:00 is very much a ワンマン train, it even says so on the sign below the driver. Very nice station building and train by the way :-)
You’re right but my favorites are the one, man / one car combo. To me, this doesn’t qualify but I’ll let the actual definition of WAN MAN (one man) win here :)
There's Kyoto City and then there's Kyoto Prefecture which stretches all the way over to the Japan Sea. There's plenty of history and great places to visit.
So that’s where the Kyūbi no Yōko’s Name came from!!! On another note, during High School we called those one car trains... Push n Pull! Watching from Somerset... in the West Country!
My wife wants to go to Japan this year (my second time, her first)... I'd like to go to Hanamaki because I'm a huge Kenji Miyazawa fan, but if we don't have the time or money, this looks like a good runner up!
@@onlyinjapanGOHave you considered coming to Vancouver, BC, Canada? Whistler/Blackcomb or West Coast Trail may be something that would put your followers and viewers at awe of it nature... same as with our housing prices LOL
Indeed it is beautiful John. Do you have any video on the famous Matcha Tea place with tea ceremony, I can't remember the name of the place but I saw a video showing Matcha ceremony and also a place famous for the Rice.
My rain chain here in Washington state had very thick ice on it last week. All melted off now. Moss. I have lots of moss here. Moss on the roof is not good, can loosen roof shingles. I've been ill lately, probably sleeping for the live stream. I would really love to go here too.
I like the Onsen Videos and the capsule Videos a lot and what i find fascinating ishow expensive the Sandwiches and a kaisendon in Japan is. I bet japanese pay much more for Food then europeans
Nice place, going to put that place on the list. Do you have any plan visiting Nozawa Onsen or Asama Onsen in Nagano. I'm planning to go there next year. Hoping you can make a video about those places.
Chicago, south side in da house! If you would have just touched the big nose face, i think you would find yourself in the middle of an Indiana Jones adventure.
Explain to persons that move the decimal point to the left to get roughly the price in dollars. Left two places and deduct according to exchange rate. It helps a lot.
